ONE WRONG TURN
EPISODE 13
The lecture couldn’t have ended any quic-ker. As soon as the teacher left the clas-s, I hurriedly gathered my books, tucked them in my bag and headed straight for the gate house. Sarah and Hannah were right behind me. They too had plans. It was time to execute. As early as we were, we weren’t the first to arrive at the gate house. We met 3 other girls there. I recognized them, they had left the clas-s a while ago during the English lecture. They weren’t wearing their uniforms anymore, the make up on their faces had completely transformed them. One of the girls handed #1500 naira to the gate man, and he opened the gate for them. There was a yellow range rover sport packed just outside the gate. It had a pas-s£nger at the back seat. He was a well dressed middle-aged man, probably in his 50’s. Two of the girls hopped into the back seat, while the third occu-pied the front seat. Just before the door closed, I could see one of the girls k!ss!ngthe middle-aged man shamelessly, as he ran his hands over her b©dy. She looked so much like a prostitute. But who am I to judge? Aren’t we very much the same? I thought to myself as I slowly took off my uniform. I put on my go-wn hurriedly, and sat quietly waiting for Sarah to make me up. I still didn’t know how to apply make up. Every time I tried was a disaster. Sarah got dressed on time. She looked so pretty in her make up. She was naturally endowed just like me. The ti-ght-fitting short go-wn she wore made a fine print of her shape.
I sat motionless as she applied make up on my face, she was quite meticulous. She seemed so keen on ma-king me look beautiful today. After a while, I looked at myself in the mirror. My own beauty made me proud. I turned from side to side, trying out various poses. Everything seemed perfect. Even the gate man couldn’t help himself, I caught him staring. I took my school bag, and we headed out of the school compound. Just outside, Matthew car was packed in front of an Audi car.
I didn’t bother to look at the occu-p@n-ts of the car behind, I simply took a seat beside Matthew, while Sarah and Hannah entered the car packed behind us.
“You look stunning baby” Matthew said, moving in for a k!ss. Hisl-ips met mine without resistance, the shyness I use to feel was gone. I felt bolder and more confident in the pres£nce of Matthew. That was how bad I’ve grown to become within those few days of getting my freedom.
The car previously packed behind us overtook, and sped off. Sarah and Hannah waved me from the back seat as they drove out of sight. Where they were heading to, I had no idea. I didn’t know where I was going either, but I was so convinced I would have fun. The engines started and we drove off.
“You must be starved, should we get something to eat?” Matthew asked as he slowed down to take a left turn into a street leading to a restaurant within the neighbourhood. I nodded in agreement. We drove a little further, and Matthew pu-ll-ed up in front of the restaurant.
“Wait here let me get us something to eat.” He alighted and walked inside. I slumped into the seat and started pla-ying with my phone. I pinged Sarah and Hannah to find out where they were headed. The replies c@m£ in fast. Just like me, both of them had no idea where they were going. They just wanted to have fun, that is what everything was about. I easily excused myself, thinking that I was somehow different from them. I was here because I ‘loved’ Matthew. Well, at least I felt strongly for him and wanted to make him happy. I sp©tted him coming out of the restaurant with two white customised nylon in his hands. He was walking as fast as his legs could carry.
“Good to go, later” I hurriedly texted Hannah.
“Okay, make sure you pl@ysafe, I no wan hear story later oh.” She replied almost immediately
I smiled to myself and tuck away the phone, as Matthew joined me in the car. He started the engine, and our journey continued. We entered a surrounding that seemed familiar to me, then I realised we were heading to his hostel. I was neither scared nor worried. I thought I was re-ady for anything that could happen. Sarah has as-sured me this is the only way to win a guys heart forever and am not re-ady to loose him yet.
We arrived at his hostel, the compound was just the way it was when I last visited, only a lot noisier It seems many of the students were back from school. Music from loud speakers pla-yed at ridiculously high volume made it impossible for me to hear my own thoughts.
Some of the occu-p@n-ts sat outdoors gisting and pla-ying board games. The stares and gazes I was getting as Matthew and I walked to his room made me really uncomfortable. Some of his friends would call his name out loud and make annoying comments. I just kept a straight face and ignored. I couldn’t wait to get out of sight.
We climbe-d up the stairs into his room. It wasn’t much different from how I last saw it though it was a little untidy.
I sat down on the side of the be-d, anticipating what will happen next. Matthew handed me one of the nylon he was holding. It contained a plate of fried rice and ice cream in a small plastic can. This was exactly what I nee-ded, I was famished alre-ady. Matthew headed for the door.
“I’m coming, I have to buy something from the chemist down the road,” Matthew said, ma-king his way out of the room.
“Okay, but don’t leave me alone here for long” I replied, wondering what he had to buy at this time. What went wrong before his arrival?
I finished my meal hurriedly, Matthew still wasn’t back from the chemist. I la-id back on the be-d, and started typing on my phone again. I pinged Hannah and Sarah again, to find out where they were. This time, it took a while to get any response. I guess they were really busy. A reply c@m£ in after five minutes. It was from Sarah..
“We are at 5 Star h0tel”
I have heard a lot about that h0tel, it was one of the busiest and most expensive in the city. It had everything, from royal suites to Jacuzzi. If Sarah and Hannah were there, then a ‘big fish’ must be involved.
“Who are you with”? I inquired
“One s£nator like that” ….from Sarah
It was at this point in my life I realised the sort of people Sarah and Hannah were. My friends were cheap slots, they sell their b©dy for money. I detested their kind of life, but I have covertly become like them. I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t like them, afterall I wasn’t selling my b©dy for money, I was in love.
The sound of the door-knob turning interrupted my thoughts. Matthew had returned from the chemist, he carried a weird smile on his face. He locked the door, and sat right next to me on the be-d. We began a conversation about our childhood and parents. I told him how my parents had prevented me from having any kind of fun. He seemed very un-derstanding, and as usual was full of encouraging words.
Matthew turned towards me, and began his usual charade of words with his soft appealing baritone voice.
“Ruth, you know how much I love and cherish you. I’m willing to do anything for you. I’ll show you more love than your parents ever will”.
His words had the usual effect on me. I could feel that flutter in my tommy again. I made no attempt to resist as hisl-ips t©uçhed mine. All the muscles in my b©dy relaxed un-der his t©uçh, I felt so weak and vulnerable and I eventually let myself loose for him. Someone I thought loves me the most in this world. I can’t tell how long it lasted, but I was glad it was over.
The pain was rather excruciating. I sat up on the be-d, and looked in between my l@ps. I noticed trickles of blood flowing. It was then it dawned on me, I had lost my vir-ginity, my pride, my all. A new feeling of sadness and regret overwhelmed me. I suddenly wished I hadn’t, I had loosed something which I can never regain back forever. I looked towards Matthew, he was busy putting his clothes back on looking rather indifferent. His eyes caught my gaze, he must have noticed the apprehension on my face, as he moved closer and hvgged me, but this time around the hvg had no effect on me. I never felt anything within my tommy like I always did then when our b©dy was in contact. This looks strange! What have I just gotten myself into?
ONE WRONG TURN
EPISODE 14
The sight of my mum standing there with the gloves in her hands terrified me. Cold shivers down my spine. This scenario was familiar, I knew what she was up to, she had done it before. But this time, her result will be different, I had lost my vir-ginity a few hours ago. I could not imagine what will happen to me if she discovered the truth.
“Lie down” she ordered in a stern voice
“Mummy plea-se don’t do this, I beg you” I pleaded, kneeling down and sobbing uncontrollably.
“Shut up! since you cannot explain why you c@m£ home late, I‘ll find out for myself” she said, moving towards me.
“Mummy I didn’t do anything, plea-se don’t do this to me again”
“I forgot to give you money for feeding along with transport, so I felt you would use your transport money for food. I st©pped by at your school to give you some money on my way back from work. I was told that you and your friends left after the English lesson. Where did you go?” The entire story shocked me very much. My mum knows definitely that I was not in school. I couldn’t tell her where I went either, that would spell the end of lectures for me.
I had to say something, anything to get out of this mess. It was moments like this I wished I had Sarah here. “I went home with Sarah”, I blotted out, without thinking it throu-gh.
“Haven’t I warned you never to go close to that prostitute?”
“She is the only friend I have” I said, increasing my tears and hoping it would soften my mum’s heart. But that was not to be.
“Friend indeed, how am I sure you haven’t been slee-ping with men just like her”?
“Mummy I swear I haven’t”
“In that case lie down let’s see”, as she tried to pu-ll me up from my knees unto the be-d.
My excuses and lies were futile, my mum was bent on doing her inspection. I knew exactly how bad this could get, the embarras-sment would be extremely terrible. I was determined not to allow it happen. I made up my mind to stand up to my mother just like Matthew had advised. I broke away from her grip, and moved away from the be-dside towards my wall mirror.
“My friend lie down on that be-d before I lose my temper”, she yelled angrily.
” I’m not lying down, leave me alone” I yelled at her with the same ferocity.
The expression on her face changed, the anger was replaced with surprise and disbelief. This was the first time I had yelled at her.
“So Ruth, it has come to this?” She asked, walking slowly towards me. I began to retreat, as she approached, I knew this was not going to end well for a certainty, but knowing about the state of my vir-ginity would hold far more dire consequences. I had my back to the wall alre-ady, there was no further room to retreat. My mum closed in on me and aimed a sl@p directly at my face. I caught her hand mid way in the air, and held on to it.
“So you want to beat me too?” She asked, and began to scream.
“Ruth must beat me today.” She broke free from my grip, and held ti-ghtly to my shi-t, ripping it ap@rt with all her energy. She gr!pp£dmy singlet as well, and began to tear it ap@rt. I had no un-derwear in there, if I allowed her to tear my singlet, I’ll be n-ked. I gr@bb£d her hand firmly, preventing her from tearing my singlet. We began to struggle, as we pu-ll-ed in opposite directions.
She freed one of her hands, and gr@bb£d my Sk-irt. It wasn’t firmly on my h!ps, neither was the material of good quality. The slightest pu-ll would rip it ap@rt.
I wasn’t putting on any un-derwear there either, and I thought there would still be stains of dried blood on my ti-ghts. I just couldn’t let her str!p me Unclad. I leaned forward a little, resting my whole weight and pushed her slightly. My mum went to the ground as if she had been knocked down by a bulldozer.
She began to scream on t©p of her voice, “Ruth is fighting me oh, My own daughter is beating me.” Her screams must have alerted everyone in the house, as I heard doors flying open inside the house.
The first to arrive at my door was Daniel. He ban-ged on the door, trying to inquire about what was happening. I ran to the door, and unfastened the hook. Daniel ran straight at my mum on the floor, and tried to pu-ll her up. She resisted every attempt to get her on her feet.
“Mummy I told you not to fight her when she returns; just look at what is happening” Daniel said, picking up my torn shi-t and throwing it at me to cover myself. My dad entered the room in a hurry, and yelled
“what is happening here?”
“Ruth is fighting me o, Ruth is fighting me. Your daughter is now slee-ping with men, I wanted to check if she was still intact, and she started fighting me”
Those words cut de-ep into my heart, I felt a mixture of anger and remorse. I did not know how to show those feeling. My heart began to pound, and my knees knocked each other. I was de-eply terrified.
“So it has gotten to this?” My dad asked in anger, walking towards me and pu-lling out his belt.
I began to take steps backwards towards the mirror again. “Daddy plea-se I did not……”
I had ba-rely finished the statement when the first swipe of the leather belt landed on my scalp. I buried my head in my arms, to protect my face from my father’s battering. Swipe after swipe landed on my b©dy, it stung more than a bee. One swipe hit the wall mirror, and it c@m£ crashing down in pieces.
Daniel rushed forward to my rescue, seizing my dad’s arm in the air, giving me a little breathing space. I fell to the floor and began to weep. Flashes of heat, coupled with tears and h0t sweat ran across my b©dy.
“Hold her, check if she is still intact.” Dad commanded, as he struggled to free himself from Daniel’s grip. My mum was alre-ady on her feet, she turned towards David who had just joined us in the room.
“Hold her for me.” As David began to walk towards me. I started to imagine what would happen. Daniel would hold me down, while my mum p@rted my legs in the full view of three adult males. It would be a terrible embarras-sment when they all discover that my hy-men has been tampered with. I couldn’t take it anymore. All the remorse I felt disappeared. A new feeling of anger and bitterness swelled inside me, I felt like exploding. I gr@bb£d a piece of the broken mirror on the floor, and made it visible to everyone.
“David, don’t come close to me” I yelled at the t©p of my voice, pointing the Sharp object at him. The anger and ferocity in my voice, coupled with the violent wave of tremor surging throu-gh my b©dy shocked everyone. They stood in amazement, with eyes wi-de open. The sight of me with the fragment of broken mirror must have terrorized everyone. David equally st©pped in his strides and withdrew. An uncomfortable silence followed. I looked around the room, and had a clear sight of the door. I dashed straight for my be-d, raised my pillow gr@bb£d my phone and headed for the door. Everyone gave way and allowed me throu-gh. I ran towards the sitting room, hoping the main door was not locked. Daniel ran after me, calling out to me, as if he knew what I was thinking.
“Ruth wait, plea-se don’t go, wait Ruth, Ruth.”
His plea-s fell on deaf ears. I opened the main door and ran out, into the open. It was around 7pm, and a little dark alre-ady. I could ba-rely see where I was going. I unlocked the main gate, and headed out into the streets, running straight ahead. Where I wanted to go, I had no idea. But I resolved not to return to that house that night. I was re-ady to stake it out alone in the open.
I was out on the streets on a cold night, I had run away from home. I put on my phone, and began to make calls, trying to find a place to l@ymy head for the night.
.
.
Is this the right way to train a female child?
Who’s at fault?
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 15